Compartmented dough package



man

Aug 15, 1960 R. J. zoELLER ETAL 2,949,369

COMPARTMENTED DOUGH PACKAGE Filed Oct. 29, 1956 lnted States ateneCOMPARTMEN TED DOUGH PACKAGE Richard J. Zoeller and James R. Henderson,Louisville, Ky., assignors to The Pillsbury Company, a corporation ofDelaware Filed Oct. 29, 1956, Ser. No. 619,041

2 Claims. (Cl. 99-172) This invention relates to packaging containersand more specifically relates to multi-compartment cans for packagingseparate portions or ingredients which are to be used together inproducing a finished product, and to methods of producing and fillingmultiple compartments in va can.

When food products such as biscuits and the like are made ready forconsumption, it is oftentimes desirable that such biscuits be providedwith a topping or frosting. Such biscuits are frequently supplied to theco-nsumer in readyJto-bake condition and such ready-to-bake biscuits andthe like are commonly packaged and shipped and sold in cheap and readilyopenable containers such as cans. Heretofore it has been found to beimpractical in many cases to apply the topping or frosting on eachindividual biscuit before the biscuits are packaged in such cans.However, it is highly desirable that a well prepared topping oringredient therefore be supplied with the biscuits so that the consumermay readily and easily apply the topping to the biscuits at the time thebiscuits are being prepared for consumption. Although certainmulti-compartment containers or cans have been heretofore known, the canconstruction, so as to provide separate compartments therein, -has beenso elaborate and expensive :as to make the cost of the can prohibitivelyhigh in relation to the price which consumers are willing to pay for thefood product, that lthe utilization of such multicompartment containershas been impractical for storing and selling food products such asbiscuits and the like, which should be relatively cheap.

An object of our invention is to provide a new and improvedmulti-compartment container of extremely simple and inexpensiveconstruction and fabrication for storing and restricting comingling ofdifferent ingredients or portions of a nished product, which ingredientsor portions are to be used together by the consumer to produce such afinished product.

Another object of our invention is to provide a novelmulti-compartmented container for packaging different portions oringredients of a nished product, which container is formed of aninexpensive, substantially conventional container of the type now incommon use for packaging similar products.

Still another object of our invention is the provision in asubstantially conventional can of well known type for packaging foodproducts, of a moisture-sealing divider wall between different portionsof the can so `as to facilitate packaging in the can differentingredients of the finished product to be produced, wherein certain ofsaid ingredients contain substantial moisture and wherein other of theingredients are to be maintained in a relatively dry condition.

A further object of our invention is to provide in a can of aconventional type used for packaging biscuits and the like, of a readilyemplaceable divider wall to produce compartments sealed from each other-in such -a manner as to restrict land substantially prevent anymoisture or product ingredient migration from one compartment to theother, even where substantial internal pressure may be developed in oneof the compartments.

A still further object of our invention is vthe provision of amulti-compartmented can which is constructed to seal the cancompartments from each other and which is also constructed to permitready and easy access into al1 of the can compartments so as tofacilitate quick and substantially effortless removal of the contents ofthe compartments.

A still further object of our invention is the provision of a novelmethod in the art of producing and lling multiple compartments in theinterior of an open-topped iibre board can, which facilitates theutilization of conventionally styled cans and which facilitates sealingof one substance from another at a particular location in the can whichis independent of the can construction and which is in relation to thequantity of one of the substances to be contained in the can.

These and other objects and advantages of our invention will more fully`appear from the following description made in connection with theaccompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to thesame parts throughout the several Views and in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of the multi-compartmented container withIa portion of the side wall broken away to show the general internalarrangement of a closed can;

Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the can, showing the manner in which thecan is opened to provide ready and easy access :to the contents of thecompartments;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section view of the can showing the manner in whichthe can is filled and also showing the manner in which the compartmentdening divider wall is inserted into the can;

Fig. 4 is a top plan View of the open-topped can shown in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a greatly enlarged detail View in vertical section of the canside wall and compartment-dening divider Wall when the divider wall isproperly seated in the can.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section View of a modified form of amulti-compartment can embodying the present container.

One form of the present invention is shown in the drawings and isdescribed herein. The container or can, indicated in general by numerall0 is of a substantially conventional construction having a laminarfibre board sidewall ll which is best seen 1in Fig. 5 and which includesan outer wrapper lamination 12, a pair of kraft libre board laminations13 and 14 respectively and a metallic foil lining i5. The sidewall 11 ofthe can is circumferentially dispartable along an elongated zone or linesubstantially at lr6 as indicated in Fig. 2, which extends spirallyaround the can sidewall and toward opposite ends thereof. To facilitatesuch circumferential disparting along such a zone or line, the cansidewall may be constructed in any suitable manner such as thatspecifically set forth in application for United States Letters PatentS. N. 360,658, filed lune l0, 1953, William M. Geist, inventor, nowabandoned, but it should be understood that the manner of providing forthe circumferential dispartiug should not be limited to that shown inthe identified application.

As the can is being iilled, one substance 17 which may comprise arelatively dr/ topping or frosting material for biscuits and the like,is inserted into the bottom of the can interior. A divider wall 1S isthen inserted into the can interior through the open upper end thereof,substantially as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 and the divider wall 18 issubsequently moved downwardly into the can interior to the dottedposition shown in Fig. 3. Divider wall 18 is circular to be ofcomplimentary shape in rela tion to the transverse configuration of theinterior chamber defined by the can sidewall 11. As best seen in Fig. 5,the peripheral edge 19 of divider wall 18 is smoothly rounded Itofacilitate ready land easy sliding of the divider Wall 18 down into thecan interior without tearing or otherwise damaging the foil lining ofthe side wall 11. In the form shown, the divider wall 18 is providedwith a beaded edge 19. The divider wall 18, when seated, is disposedtransversely of the interior chamber of the can and intermediate theends of the elongated circumferentially dispartable zone or line 16 andis disposed in overlying engagement with the first substance or topping17 in the bottom portion of the can interior. The outer peripheral edgeportion 19 of divider wall 18 is embedded into the yieldable andsomewhat elastic sidewall 11.

The interior surface of the can sidewall is smooth before the dividerwall 18 is inserted, and as the divider wall 18 is moved into the properposition in the can and is disposed normal to the axis of the can, theperipheral edge 19 forms a shallow groove 20 in the foil lining 15 whichis deformed or crimped by the edge 19. The kraft fibre board laminations13 and 14 are compressed, and only a very slight bulge is visiblyperceptible at 21 on the exterior surface of the can sidewall. Theembedding of the divider wall into the can sidewall 11 produces asealing relation between the divider wall and the can sidewall `andmigrating of the different substances 17 or 22 on opposite sides of thedivider wall respectively, and migrating of moisture, from one `of thecompartments to the other of the compartments is prevented. Thesubstance 22 which is placed in the can above the divider wall 18 may beready-to-bake biscuit dough or the like which may contain a substantialquantity of moisture and which will develop a substantial internalprsure above the divider wall in the can. In spite yof this pressurecreated by the biscuit dough, the seal between the compartments in thecan provided -by the divider wall restrains migration of moisture anddough material between the compartments. The divider wall 18, which isinserted into the can after a quantity of one substance 17 is insertedinto the bottom of the can interior, is inserted in an inclinedposition, substantially `as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 into the top of thecan and a ram 23 will then be driven downwardly into the can interior,driving the divider wall 18 before it. As the divider wall 18 isinitially inserted into the can, the sidewall 11 is slightly deformed bythe oversize divider wall and will be somewhat elliptically shaped topermit the divider wall to be moved downwardly thereinto.

It has been found that it is preferable that the exterior diameter ofthe divider wall 18 be approximately 0.005 inch larger than the insidediameter `of :the cylindrical can sidewall. However, it has been foundthat there is no dough extrusion or migration around the divider wall 18if the diameter of the divider wall 18 is 0.002 inch larger than theinterior diameter of .the can sidewall. Because the can has acylindrical sidewall it has been found to be important that the dividerwall be exactly circular, and the divider wall should be crcularlyformed within close .tolerances with respect to different diametricmeasurements thereof.

Of course it should be understood that the bottom cover 24 is applied tothe end of the sidewall thereof before filling commences and the topcover 25 is applied -to the -top open end of the sidewall after thedifferent substances have been inserted into the can.

It has been found that, at least in the storing of carmel nut topping,as the substance 17 in the can, and which is of relatively dry nature,the topping, although of granular form, will form itself into a cohesivemass after being placed in the can. This cohesive mass has been found tobe of such a nature that it may be easily crumbled for applying to thebiscuits. When the container is to be opened so as to prepare thebiscuits and topping on ltop of that quantity.

or other substances stored in the can, for use, the can sidewall iscircumferentially split or disparted along the spiral line 16 and thebiscuits will readily fall out. When the sidewall 11 iscircumferentially disparted, portions of the sidewall pull away from thedivider wall or separator 18 and access is provided to the substance ortopping 17 to facilitate ready and easy removal thereof.

It should be noted that one of the particular advantages of the presentmulti-compartment can is that the divider wall 18 may be positioned inany desired location, dependent upon the size of compartments desired.For instance, if only a small quantity of substance 17 is to besupplied, the perscribed quantity may be inserted into the can interiorand the divider wall may be applied directly It will therefore be seenthat the present multi-cornpartmented can is exceedingly versatile inits usage and may be used in packing a number of different substances.

The form of the invention shown in Fig. 6 includes the can 10 shown inFigs. 1-5 and has the same type of sidewall 11, and a bottom cover 24. Acan or receptacle 30 is placed in the compartment defined by wall 11 andhas a peripheral sidewall 31 which is slightly smaller in diameter thanthe internal dimensions of the sidewall 11. The receptacle or can 30 hasa bottom cover 32 which is crimped to the lower peripheral edge ofsidewall 31. The upper end 33 of can 30 is open. The divider wall 18overlies the upper peripheral edge of side wall 31 and may be in sealingrelation therewith. The peripheral edge portion 19 of divider wall 18 isembedded in the side wall 11 as hereinbefore described.

This form of the invention, is particularly well adapted for storing asomewhat iiuid or pasty material such as icing of the type commonly usedon rolls such as cinnamon rolls. The divider wall 18 prevents thematerial in the receptacle 30 from escaping therefrom and also preventssuch material from comingling with the substances in the uppercompartment of the can 10. Because the peripheral edge portion 19 of thedivider wall 18 is embedded in the side wall 11, leakage into the uppercontainer compartment is restricted and movement of the lower container30 is prevented.

It will be seen that we have provided a new and improvedmulti-compartmented container which is constructed in such `a manner tofacilitate insertion of the substances into the can from one end thereofand which is also constructed in -a manner 'as to seal the compartmentsand prevent commingling of one substance with the other.

It should further be noted that we have provided a novel and improvedmultiple compartment can which is constructed in such a manner that thesubstances contained in the compartments are separated by a moistureseal and in such a manner that ready and easy access is provided intothe several compartments to facilitate easy removal of the contents ofeach of the compartments.

It should also be noted that we have provided a new land improved methodin the art of producing and filling multiple compartments in asubstantially conventional fibre board can whereby the compartments areformed as the can is being filled and the compartments are sized inrelation to the quantity of substance placed therein.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made inthe form, detail, arrangement and proportion of the parts withoutdeparting from the scope of our invention which consists of the matterdescribed herein and set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A dough product package, comprising a container, a quantity ofexpansible dough in the container, a quantity of substantially dry andpacked edible material in the container and segregated from the dough, amoistureimpervious and circular divider wall in the container andpositioned between the dough and dry material, said container includinga cylindrical side wall constructed of kraft board material, said sidewall having an elongated and circumferentially dispartable zoneextending toward the opposite ends thereof from said divider Wall, ametallic foil lining on the inner surface of said side wall, rigidcovers crimped on the ends of the side Wall, the side wall encompassingthe divider wall and said foil lining slidably engaging and beingcrimped around the entire periphery of the divider wall, whereby toprevent migration of moisture from the dough to the dry material and topermit ready and easy access through the can side wall tothe dough anddry material.

2. The invention as set forth in claim 1 wherein said dispartable zoneextends spirally around the side wall and toward the opposite endsthereof whereby to facilitate opening of the can along the dispartablezone by twisting the opposite ends of the side Wall relative to eachother, and thereby causing the side wall to pull away from the dividerWall.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,514,379 Fleischer Nov. 4, 1924 6 Kuechenmeister Jan. 28, 1930 PorterApr. 15, 1930 Hollis Apr. 21, 1931 WOOdS Dec. 6, 1932 Ware Nov. 21, 1933Guidry June 23, 1942 Card July 1, 1947 Cleary June 6, 1950 Pfeifer Sept.15, 1953 Nelson Feb. 14, 1956 Abrahamson July 31, 1956 Montminy Nov. 27,1956 Fienup et al May 21, 1957 Geist et al. May 21, 1957 ONeil July 23,1957 OTHER REFERENCES Bakers Weekly, March 6, 1950, page 16.

1. A DOUGH PRODUCT PACKAGE, COMPRISING A CONTAINER, A QUANTITY OFEXPANSIBLE DOUGH IN THE CONTAINER, A QUANTITY OF SUBSTANTIALLY DRY ANDPACKED EDIBLE MATERIAL IN THE CONTAINER AND SEGREGATED FROM THE DOUGH, AMOISTUREIMPERVIOUS AND CIRCULAR DIVIDED WALL IN THE CONTAINER ANDPOSITIONED BETWEEN THE DOUGH AND DRY MATERIAL, SAID CONTAINER INCLUDINGA CYLINDRICAL SIDE WALL CONSTRUCTED OF KRAFT BOARD MATERIAL, SAID WALLHAVING AN ELONGATED AND CIRCUMFERENTIALLY DISPARTABLE ZONE EXTENDINGTOWARD THE OPPOSITE ENDS THEREOF FROM SAID DIVIDER WALL, A METALLIC FOILLINING ON THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID SIDE WALL, RIGID COVES CRIMPED ONTHE ENDS OF THE SIDE WALL, THE SAID WALL ENCOMPASSING THE DIVIDER WALLAND SAID FOIL LINING SLIDABLY ENGAGING AND BEING CRIMPED AROUND THEENTIRE PERIPHERY OF THE DIVIDER WALL, WHEREBY TO PREVENT MIGRATION OFMOISTURE FROM THE DOUGH TO THE DRY MATERIAL AND TO PERMIT READY AND EASYACCESS THROUGH THE CAN SIDE WALL TO THE DOUGH AND DRY MATERIAL.